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In this one-of-a-kind atlas, scores of archival maps and dozens of new maps trace the battles, political turmoil, and great themes of America's most violent and pivotal clash of arms.

From the Antebellum South to Fort Sumter, the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and the fitful peace of Reconstruction, the Atlas of the Civil War displays eye-opening mapsand a gripping, self-contained storyon every spread.

Eighty-five rare period maps, many seen here for the first time, show a land at war with itself: from 19th-century campaign maps of strategies to vintage battlefield charts used by Union and Confederate generals alike, along with commercial maps produced for a news-hungry public, and comprehensive Theater of War maps.

In 35 innovative views created especially for this book, the key moments of major battles are pinpointed by National Geographic's award-winning cartographers using satellite data to render the terrain with astonishing detail.

Also, more than 320 documentary photographs, battlefield sketches, paintings, and artifacts bear eyewitness testimony to the war, history's first to be widely captured on film.

When I purchased this book, I thought I was purchasing an atlas of battle maps. I had just read a book which had very detailed National Geographic battle maps of Shilo and thought that this book would be a similar collection of actual battle maps of all the battles. It's not. There are large campaign maps and a few more detailed maps. This is a book for the generalist looking for the overview. Map quality and art work is excellent. It just wasn't what I wanted.

My Dad is a big Civil War enthusiast. He also has everything he wants or needs and so getting him gifts is always a challenge. I gave him this for Father's Day 2013 and he started reading it that night. He is fairly avid reader and found the book very interesting and informative.

My Brother and I both are Civil War Buffs. I bought this for his Christmas gift this year. I will later order my own copy. I know that the both of us will really enjoy and share our thoughts on many aspects of this book.

I thought a book with this title from National Geographic would include a comprehensive set of cutting edge maps. Easy to follow for the modern reader. Not even close. I doubt that I'll consider it much of a resource when looking for details on a specific campaign. Instead it's a batch of top-level articles on major campaigns and battles. The best parts were the period maps and the essays.

Still it provided an enjoyable couple of hours perusing. And in my space-constrained abode, I'm gonna hang onto it, so it's okay.